[To TRR EDITOR OP TIDE "SPECTATOR.“1 SIE,-.-YORP interest in rifle
clubs is notorious, and is justified by the recent appeal of Lord Roberts ; but does it not seem illogical that whilst on the one hand those who try to do some military service as Militiamen or Volunteers are being told that they are worthless, those others who are willing to go and take occasional shots at a target should be hailed as patriots and saviours of their country F—I am, Sir, &c., Cdrlton Club, Pall Mall, S.W. REGINALD LUCAS.
[We agree ; and our correspondent, if he has done us the honour to read what we have written in regard to the rifle club movement, will remember that we have never allowed our advocacy of that movement to impair for a moment our appreciation of the Auxiliary Forces, or to weaken our protests against the monstrous policy of inoculating them with a wasting disease which is apparently the scheme of the present Government. We feel so strongly on the matter, indeed, that we are tempted to ask whether it is not illogical for Members of Parliament who know, as does our correspondent, the value of the Auxiliary Forces to support a Government which in effect tells those forces that they are worthless. Yet we see practically the whole Unionist Press with the exception of ourselves, and hundreds of Members of Parlia- ment who, like Mr. Lucas, know what the policy of the Government towards the Auxiliaries means, content to keep the present Government in power. They are willing to write strong articles or to make strong speeches against - the Government policy. towards the Auxiliaries, but when it comes to the test of making their views effective they are found on the side of Mr. Arnold-Forster and his Colleagues in the Government.—ED. Spectator.]
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